How The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy Became An Airforce Giant
Henry Kelsall - Yesterday 4:30 PM
Some of the most fascinating military aircraft are not always those that actually take part in attack missions. The world of heavy lifting and transportation is full of some pretty incredible machines. Take the C-130 Hercules, for example. This remarkable aircraft has been the backbone of several air forces transportation arms, including of course the United States and Great Britain. But despite being quite a large machine, one aircraft still dominated the military air lift scene. Both figuratively, and literally in terms of its unbelievable size.
Enter the awe-inspiring Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. This huge cargo aircraft is among the largest military aircraft in the world, and certainly one of the most impressive to look at. Incredibly, this giant aircraft first flew back in 1968, but it is still very much at the forefront of the modern United States Air Force. Various upgrades to the aircraft could see it fly with the USAF until at least 2040 and possibly beyond, making it one of the longest serving aircraft in the United States Air Force. Time and time again, it has proved its worth as a strategic airlifter.
Origins And Development Of The C-5
The need for the C-5 Galaxy is traceable back to 1961. Several American aircraft companies were looking at heavy jet transport designs to replace the aging Douglas C-133 Cargomaster, as well as to supplement the newer Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. Not only that, but the United States Army was looking for an aircraft with a larger cargo bay than the Starlifter which could not carry some of the army’s outsized equipment. What this then morphed into was the CX-4 program, and then the CX-X program for a new, larger strategic transport aircraft. This is what would become the C-5 Galaxy.
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